Combination invalid&#39;s chair and cot



y 7, 1968 L. M. CARR 3,381,973

COMBINATION INVALIDS CHAIR AND COT Filed Aug. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. LOTT/E M. CARR BY 253M ATTORNEY.

y 7, 1968 1.. M. CARR 3,381,973

COMBINATION INVALIDS CHAIR AND COT Filed Aug. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2w W 3 INVENTOR.

LOTT/E M. CARI? ATmRA/Ey,

United States Patent 3,381,973 COMBINATION INVALIDS CHAIR AND COT LottieM. Carr, 1280 NE. 159th St., North Miami Beach, Fla. 33162 Filed Aug.25, 1966, Ser. No. 575,143 9 Claims. (Cl. 280-30) This invention relatesto wheel chairs for the handicapped, and is directed particularly to animproved combination invalids chair and cot.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a combinationinvalids chair and cot of such construction as will permit maximum useof a handicapped persons abilities in tending to his own needs andcomfort.

A more particular object is to provide a combination invalids chair andcot that can be converted by the user from a chair to a cot with minimumeffort while sitting in the chair, so that he may change from sitting toreclining position without assistance.

Another object is to provide a combination invalids chair and cot thatincludes a removable chair propelling device that can be either footpedal or hand pedal operated, selectively, depending upon the preferenceor capabilities of the user.

Yet another object is to provide a combination invalids chair and cot ofthe above nature the cushioned seat of which is provided with a centralopening normally closed with a removable plug member, which plug membercan readily be removed by the user for use of a bed pan placed on ashelf under the seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination invalidswheel chair and cot of the character described which will be inexpensiveto manufacture, easy to manipulate, and dependable and long-wearing inuse.

Other objects features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description when read with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination invalids chair and cotembodying the invention shown assembled as a wheel chair;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 ofFIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows but shown with the side armmechanisms extended for use of the device as a cot; and

FIG. 3 is a partial back view of the chair illustrating the connectingmechanism of the removable heat rest.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 designates,generally, a combination invalids chair and cot embodying the inventionthe same being comprised of a chair framework having a pair of spaced,parallel front upright tubular members 11, 12, and a pair of spaced,parallel rear upright tubular members 13, 14, aflixed in mutually-spacedparallel relation by front and rear transverse members and 16,respectively, and side transverse members 17 and 18. The chair frameworkalso comprises a second pair of side transverse members 19, 20 securedbetween the front upright tubular members 11, 12 and the rear uprighttubular members 13, 14 in spaced parallel relation above the sidetransverse members 17 and 18, respectively. The lower ends of the frontand rear upright tubular members or legs 11, 12, 13 and 14 are equippedwith ball castor members 21 for free rolling motion of the chair alongfiat surfaces by means of a hand or foot operated propelling mechanismhereinafter described. A circular bumper hoop 22 encompasses the lowerend of the chair framework, being secured at the lower ends of the frontand rear upright tubular members or legs 11, 12 and 13, 14 respectively.The bumper hoop 22 is preferably covered with a sleeve of rubber,

3,381,973 Patented May 7, 1968 resilient synthetic plastic or the liketo minimize the possibility of marring or otherwise damaging furnitureby accidental collision.

The rear upright tubular members 113, 14 extend into upwardly andslightly rearwardly directed back extension portions 23, 24 which carryaffixed therebetween a cushioned lower back rest 25 and an uppercushioned back rest 26. A rectangular seat panel 27 is affixed betweenthe second pair of side transverse members 19, 20, being affixed theretoas by welding. Extending upwardly from the side edges of the seatsupport panel 27 between the front and rear upright tubular members ofthe framework are a pair of opposed, short side wall members 28, 29respectively. The seat support panel 27 is provided with an ovoidopening 30, surrounding which, and affixed to an upper marginal portionof said seat support panel, is a ring of resilient material 31. Arectangular cushion 32 is fitted upon the seat support panel 27, saidcushion being of approximately the same height as that of the side wallmembers 28, 29 and being formed with an ovoid opening of such size andshape as to fit down over the outer periphery of the ring member 31.Removably fittted within the cushion opening 33 and the opening 30 inthe seat support panel 47 is a cushion plug member 34. The cushion plugmember 34 comprises a resilient supper portion 35 fixed against theunderside of which is a rigid base panel 36, a marginal peripheralportion of which seats against the upper surface of the ring member 31,and having an outwardly-extending reduced size portion 37 complementalin shape to that of the ovoid opening 30 in the seat support panel 27 soas to be received therein. The cushion plug member 34 is provided withan upwardly and outwardly-extending flexible pull tab 38 by means ofwhich said cushion plug member can readily be removed and replaced.

A rectangular metal shelf 39 is disposed in spaced parallel relationbelow the seat support 27 being supported upon and between the sidetransverse members 17, 18 of the chair framework. The shelf 39 ispreferably provided with rectangular side wing extension members 40, 41hinged thereto as by hinges 42, 43 respectively and securable inoutwardly-extending position, as illustrated by the broken linerepresentation thereof in FIG. 2, by means of toggle action foldingbracket arms 44, 45 respectively.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the front upright tubular members or legs 11,12 have telescopingly received therein front upright member extensions46, 47. Detent mechanism (not illustrated) is preferably provided forreleasably securing the extension members 46, 47 in theirupwardly-extended positions. Finger grip lugs 48, 49 fixed to the frontupright member extensions 46, 47 near the upper ends thereof andextending forwardly facilitate manual extension and collapsing of saidupright member extensions. In their extended positions as illustrated inFIG. 1, the extension members 46, 47 serve as support means for thefront of side chair arms indicated, generally, at 50 and 51 in FIG. 1.The side chair arms 50, 51 are identical, and are of hinged panelconstruction so as to unfold straight out at each side of the chair seatto convert into a cot, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and as hereinbelow moreparticularly described. Each chair side arm comprises an insiderectangular panel 52 hinged along its lower edge as by hinge 52a to theupper edges, respectively, of the front to the back seat side wallmembers 28, 29. The upper edge of the inside rectangular panel 52 ishinged along its length to the side edge of a narrow upper panel 54 asby hinge 53. The opposite edge of the upper panel 54 is hinged along itslength to one side edge of an outside rectangular panel 56, as by hinge55, said outside rectangular panel being of approximately the same sizeas the inside 3 rectangle panel 52. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the frontedge portion of the narrow upper panels 54 each have a circular loop 5'8fixed against the underside thereof for hooking engagement over upperend portions of the front upright member extensions 46, 47,respectively, when said upright members are in fully extended position,thereby to secure the front end of the chair side arms 51 in place whenthe device is being used as a chair. As a means for securing the backend of the chair side arms 50, 51 in place, the upper panels 54- thereofhave alfixed at their rear ends hook eyes 74a adapted to be engaged byhooks 74 secured to chains 70 aflixed at one end to the back extensionportions 23, 24, respectively, of the rear upright tubular members 13,14 at positions therealong between the upper and lower back rests 25,26, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the device is converted to acot simply by collapsing the front upright member extensions 46, 47,unhooking the chains 70, and unfolding the side arms 50, 51 outwardly toeach side. The outer ends of the outside rectangular panels 56 aresupported by telescoping legs 59 affixed near the outer ends of tubularcross bars 60 disposed along the underside of the outer marginal endportion of said rectangular panels and rotatably journalled thereat asby arcuate clamps 61. The telescoping legs 59 each comprise interfittingupper and lower sections 62, 63, respectively, releasably held inextended position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, as by detent mechanism 65.Folding brackets 67 hinged between the underside of each outsiderectangular panel 56 and the associated leg section 62, brace thetelescoping legs 59 when in their cot-supporting position. It will beunderstood that when the device is used as a chair, the telescop inglegs 59 will be collapsed and folded inwardly against the underside orinside of the outside rectangular panels 56 whereat they will beconcealed within the chair side arms 50, 51 when the device is used as awheel chair. AS illustrated in FIG. 2, the outer ends of the chains 70are linked to eyes 72 provided at the rear ends of the narrow upperpanels 54 to brace the outwardly-extending panel structure. The uppersurface of the side panels 52, 54, and 56 are padded, as indicated at73. When desired or necessary, the upright member extensions 46, 47 canbe left up to act as a barrier during use of the device as a cot.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, removable headrest 75 is providedfor optional use when the device is employed as a wheel chair. The backof the headrest 75 has secured thereto a centrally-located,downwardly-extending post 76 removably receivable within an openingprovided by a bracket 77 atfixed against the back of the upper back rest26.

A removable hand or foot operated propelling device 78 is provided foroptional use when the device is converted to a wheel chair. As a meansof attaching the propelling device '78, a transverse bar 79 is securedbetween the front upright tubular members or legs 11, 12, near the lowerends thereof. Centrally secured to the transverse bar 79 is anattachment bar 80 having a forwardlyextending portion 81, the outer endof which extends into an upwardly and slightly rearwardly extendingportion 82. The upper end of the upwardly and rearwardly extendingportion 82 has aflixed thereto a short, forwardlyextending end piece 83the underside of which, near its front end, has afiixed thereto adownwardly-extending stud pin 84. A rectangular footboard 85 is seatedupon the transverse bar 79 and the forwardly-extending portion 81 of theattachment bar 80, being removably secured thereto in any convenientmanner.

The hand or foot propelling device 78 comprises a tubular housing member86 having a tubular lug 87 secured against the outer wall thereof nearthe lower end as by welding, within which the stud pin 84 is removablyreceived. The tubular housing member 86 has interiorly affixed theretoand extending outwardly of the lower end thereof a pair ofdiametrically-spaced tubular members 88, 89 terminating incoaxially-aligned bearing members 90. The bearing members 90 journal acrank 91 carrying,

between the bearing members 9% a drive wheel 92 and a sprocket 93. Theouter ends of the crank 91 have journalled thereon foot pedals 94 (onlyone shown in FIG. 1).

The upper end of the tubular housing member 86 is equipped with a handcrank 95 extending through bearing members 96 diametrically oppositelyaifixed in side wall portions of said housing member. The interior shaftportion of the hand crank 95 carries a sprocket 97 linked with the footpedal sprocket 93 by a chain 98 so that said sprockets turn in unison.The hand crank 95 preferably comprises hand crank members 99 at eachside which are preferaby removably attached for removal when only footpropulsion is required.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a tray 1% is removably fitted at the upper endof the tubular housing member 86 said tray having secured to itsunderside a short plug member 101 receivable in a socket 102 provided insaid housing member.

As an auxiliary feature of my invention for use when needed, there isprovided a vertically-extending kneeboard 103 removably secured at aposition directly to the rear of the propelling device housing member 86by means of a short, downwardly-extending shaft 104 receivable in anopening 105 at the upper end of the attachment bar 80. The knee-board103 provides a swingable barrier centrally disposed at the front of theseat cushion 32 to keep deformed legs separated whenever necessary ordesirable for the patients wellbeing or comfort.

In use of the propelling device, it will be noted that steering iseffected simply by pushing harder on one side or the other of the footor hand-operated crank mecha nisms, which ever one is being used, toturn the propelling device 78 to one side or the other with respect toits attachment bar 80. If self-propulsion is not required, thepropelling device 78 can readily be removed by lifting the chair withrespect thereto so that the stud pin 84 at the upper end of theattachment bar 80 is disengaged from the tubular lug 87 of thepropelling device housing member 86.

The chair shelf 39 serves as a means for supporting a chamber under theovoid opening 30 whereby the patient confined to the chair can tend tohis own toilet needs simply by removing the seat cushion plug member 34.

While I have illustrated and described herein only one form in which myinvention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to beunderstood that this form is presented by way of example only, and notin a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all theembodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of thefollowing claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination invalids chair and cot comprising a seat structurehaving a pair of front corner legs and a pair of rear corner legs, aback rest structure extending upwardly from and supported by said rearcorner legs, a chair side arm member at each side of said seat structureand extending from front to back between a front corner leg and a rearcorner leg, said chair side arm members each comprising a plurality ofhinged panels, each of said hinged panels comprising an insiderectangular panel pivotally attached to said seat, a comparativelynarrow panel, and an outside rectangular panel of substantially the samesize as said inside rectangular panel, said panels being selectivelymovable between a first position wherein said inside and outside panelsextend downwardly from said narrow panel forming an armrest and a secondposition wherein said hinged panels extend outwardly from and on thesame horizontal plane as said seat, and means for supporting said hingedpanels in each of said positions.

2. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 1 includingroller means at the lower ends of said front and rear corner legs, andpropelling means removably attached to said seat structure for actuationby a person sitting upon said seat structure.

3. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid propelling means comprises a drive wheel operative to engage thefloor along which the chair is to move, and pedal-actuated crank meansfor turning said drive wheel.

4. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 3 includinga hand-actuated crank means journalled in spaced relation above saidpedal-actuated crank means and mechanically linked with said drive wheelfor cooperative turning therewith.

5. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid seat structure comprises a cushioned seat panel, a central openingin said seat panel, a cushioned plug member removably received in saidseat panel opening, and a shelf in spaced relation below said seat paneland supported by said seat structure.

6. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 5 includinga knee-board removably supported in vertical disposition centrally infront of said cushioned seat panel and extending generally in the frontto back direction of said seat panel for maintaining separation of thelegs of a person sitting in the chair.

7. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid means for supporting said hinged upper panel engageable with oneeach of said front cover legs.

8. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 7 whereinsaid front corner legs are tubular in form and comprise tubularextension members telescopingly received therein and movable betweenextended and collapsed positions, said hook means being engageable withthe upper ends of said extension members when in their extendedposition.

9. A combination invalids chair and cot as defined in claim 7 whereinsaid means for supporting said hinged panels in said second positionscomprises chains extending between said back structure and the rear endsof said narrow panels, and telescoping legs afiixed to the outer ends ofsaid outer panels at the underside thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,485 4/ 1957 Franklin.......1 -1 297-116 2,869,614 1/1959 Wamsley 155--30 3,206,249 9/ 1965Gateley 297- FOREIGN PATENTS 529,233 5/1957 Belgium.

RICHARD J. JOHNSON, Primary Examiner.

J. SIEGEL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COMBINATION INVALID''S CHAIR AND COT COMPRISING A SEAT STRUCTUREHAVING A PAIR OF FRONT CORNER LEGS AND A PAIR OF REAR CORNER LEGS, ABACK REST STRUCTURE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM AND SUPPORTED BY SAID REARCORNER LEGS, A CHAIR SIDE ARM MEMBER AT EACH SIDE OF SAID SEAT STRUCTUREAND EXTENDING FROM FRONT TO BACK BETWEEN A FRONT CORNER LEG AND A REARCORNER LEG, SAID CHAIR SIDE ARM MEMBERS EACH COMPRISING A PLURALITY OFHINGED PANELS, EACH OF SAID HINGED PANELS COMPRISING AN INSIDERECTANGULAR PANEL PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID SEAT, A COMPARATIVELYNARROW PANEL, AND AN OUTSIDE RECTANGULAR PANEL OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAMESIZE AS SAID INSIDE RECTANGULAR PANEL, SAID PANELS BEING SELECTIVELYMOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID INSIDE AND OUTSIDE PANELSEXTEND DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID NARROW PANEL FORMING AN ARMREST AND A SECONDPOSITION WHEREIN SAID HINGED PANELS EXTEND OUTWARDLY FROM AND ON THESAME HORIZONTAL PLANE AS SAID SEAT, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID HINGEDPANELS IN EACH OF SAID POSITIONS.